Andy Murray to net £300m if he ends 75-year Wimbledon wait

10 April 2012

Andy Murray will open a treasure chest worth more than £300million if he can become Britain's first Wimbledon men's singles champion since Fred Perry in 1936.

That is the financial windfall sponsorship experts predict will come Murray's way if he can first take care of defending champion Rafael Nadal in today's semi-final and then emerge victorious against either Novak Djokovic or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Sunday's final.

While Rory McIlroy would appear to be the next 'big thing' in British sport for sponsors, the unique nature of a male Wimbledon win after 75 years would make Murray the hottest ticket in town.

The £1m bonus in his adidas contract for winning a first Grand Slam in a career that has seen him fall short in three major finals to date, would be dwarfed by the riches thrown his way by companies desperate to cash in.

Nigel Currie, director of sports marketing agency brandRapport, said: "A Murray victory would end three generations of waiting and that makes it a unique situation which would be reflected in the next round of contract negotiations when companies would be trying to get on board with a Grand Slam champion.

"It is a fact that motor racing and football cannot crack the hugely important American market where tennis and golf already have a big impact with sponsors.

"If Murray can crack that first Slam title and have three or four years at the top of the sport then we are talking about more than £300m in earnings.

"McIlroy is the latest of a number of British and Irish Major winners in golf but Murray would be out on his own and you can expect a huge response from global companies desperate to get on board.

"He would be offered adverts that go everywhere - in every language - which creates a global brand.

"It is estimated Tiger Woods banked nearly £1billion, Michael Schumacher £500m and Roger Federer around £300m."

Murray has tried to avoid thinking about the consequences of a first Wimbledon title, acknowledging that the dramatic change in his life is too huge to comprehend as he is still two wins away from having to deal with that kind of seismic activity.

He said: "It's not as if I haven't thought about what it will be like. I just don't know what the feeling will be or the reaction will be. I am so far away from it. I am six sets away and I might have to play Rafa followed by Novak, who's lost one match this year and is playing unbelievable. So it is just so far away."

Leon Smith, Murray's first coach and now Britain's Davis Cup captain, added: "Everyone wants Andy to be Wimbledon champion and he is playing great tennis and has a great chance."

Murray confirmed he will not be troubled by the hip injury he suffered against Felicano Lopez while Nadal will have a pain-killing injection in his damaged left foot.

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